Archive for the ‘anthropomorphic’ category
October 11, 2017
With Spooktober here on Destination America, it’s time to delve into the archives a bit and consider a fairly obscure but historically interesting cryptid who reportedly terrorized London in the Victorian era. He was called Spring-Heeled Jack for his supposed ability to execute astonishing leaps, capable apparently of clearing a house in a single bound.
Now numerous images of Jack exist, ranging from the hideous to the almost dashing figure shown here. Most reports describe him as appearing demonic, with clawed hands and prominent red eyes. Jack also had the described ability to spew blue flames at his victims. He was prone to attacking women and making off with children, with surviving victims suffering claw injuries and psychological trauma. His first attack is said to have occurred in 1837, kissing and clawing up a woman who drove him off with her screams. Numerous attacks were said to have taken place in 1838.
Jack’s escapades became the topics of “Penny Dreadful” fiction, and parents used to keep difficult children in line by threats of his appearance. The last recorded sighting of him dates back to 1904. Some have speculated that Spring-Heeled Jack was one of the inspirations for Batman, as you might see suggested by the figure above. And with his last public appearance occurring over 100 years ago, perhaps this Victorian boogeyman is due for a revival, Steampunk being “in” and all…
Categories: anomalies, anthropomorphic, cryptozoology, paranormal, speculation, unexplained, urban legends
Tags: Spring-Heeled Jack, Victorian horror
Comments: 5 Comments
September 21, 2017
This is quite the Zen goat, serenely sitting on a couch in a Hotwire tv commercial and playing a sitar. I haven’t heard a sitar played this well since Ravi Shankar, or perhaps Muriel in Courage the Cowardly Dog. Since he’s anthropomorphic, the mountain goat’s name is “Carl,” and he’s in this surreal “No Pressure” environment to help demonstrate that time is a construct of human perception, an illusion like that we are shown of Martin Starr, our host, in an hourglass filling with red sand. Since Hotwire can always get you a great rate, you’re under no pressure to book at a certain time. So book, or don’t…the universe abides irregardless, dig?
And perhaps seated at the hooves of Carl, we could all be wafted away by his sitar music to partake of a little transcendental meditation…groovy, baby! Anyone else up for a ’60’s revival? Bring your Beatles and Jefferson Airplane albums, your Peter Max poster, and of course those psychedelic brownies…far out!
Categories: animals, anthropomorphic, furry, furry commercials, television
Tags: Hotwire "Time" commercial, sitar-playing goat
Comments: 3 Comments
September 8, 2017
We haven’t seen the Kia Soul hamsters in a while, and this newest arrival…diapered, and fresh out of a hospital delivery ward…runs like a gazelle! Pursued by hospital staff, the little dickens leads all on a merry chase down the corridors, never missing a step and maintaining a healthy lead. Passing through a variety of hospital locales including a kitchen, the little speedster winds up on an elevator where he raises a finger to his nose to admonish an observing little girl not to inform on him. Finally grabbing a sheet to serve as a parachute, he vaults off the top floor of the hospital, descending to land in the back seat of a turbo Kia Soul passing on the street below.
The baby hamster’s name, naturally, is Turbo…and set to the music of Motorhead’s 1980 song, Ace of Spades, the diminutive speedster proves that timing in life is everything…
Categories: animal spokepersons, animals, anthropomorphic, furry, furry commercials
Tags: Kia hamsters, Kia Soul Turbo
Comments: 3 Comments
August 16, 2017
What’s orange, inflatable, fifteen feet tall, and full of hot air? – – Why, the Trump Rat, of course! Now, Donald Trump has been depicted as a variety of anthropomorphic animals, including a rooster. The Trump Rat, however, shows uncommon attention to detail. In addition to the trademark hair, there’s also the pursed lips, the red tie, and in a whimsical touch, Confederate-flag cuff links!
The Trump Rat was positioned a short distance from Trump Tower when The Donald retreated to New York, and has become a popular site for tourist selfies. Its creator was supposedly inspired by a particularly revolting rat that he spotted in New York City some time ago. The windbag is supposedly poised to travel to other locations, at times shadowing Trump himself.
I would hasten to add that normally rodent-human hybrids have a proud and respectable heritage, with Mickey Mouse, The Secret of NIMH rats, and Fivel of An American Tail but several examples that come to mind…
Categories: absurdities, animal presence, animals, anthropomorphic, Brilliant but twisted
Tags: the Trump Rat
Comments: 3 Comments
August 8, 2017
He waded out of the Pacific Ocean in 1954, and into cinematic history. He was one of the great ones, in every sense of the word. And now it is with regret that I report that the original actor to play Godzilla has died of pneumonia at the age of 88…
…Haruo Nakajima played Godzilla in twelve films, his last outing in 1972’s Godzilla vs. Gigan. To prepare for the original role, Nakajima went to the Tokyo zoo to study the movements of elephants and bears, believing that Godzilla had to move convincingly to avoid being a farce. The suit that he wore weighed up to 220 lbs. as it was crafted in part of ready-mixed concrete. Stomping among miniaturized sets, Nakajima suffered for his art as wearing the suit caused him to sweat terribly.
Nakajima began his movie career in samurai and war movies before becoming a monster movie icon. Not limited to one role, Nakajima also played Rodan, Mothra (my personal favorite), and King Kong! – – Thank you, Haruo, for bringing the King of the Monsters to life!
Categories: animals, anthropomorphic, creature features, famous furries, furry, furry film classics, furry heroes, furry horror, sci fi
Tags: 1954 Godzilla, iconic monsters, Original Godzilla actor
Comments: 1 Comment
July 25, 2017
Fleas the size of humans are the stuff of nightmares, especially if you happen to find them watching a movie with you, or (shudder) squirreled away all cozy in your bed…
The giant fleas in the Advantage II for Cats commercial are both repulsive and oddly fascinating; it’s hard to look at them or away from them, perhaps because they’ve acclimated to human life so well. They seem like world-weary couch potatoes, not really trying to make a fuss but just fit in. And so it is when the woman vacuuming approaches the giant flea encamped on her couch, the insect very accommodatingly lifts a hind leg to allow her work to continue. The flea fits in all too well, and is possibly less offensive than other house guests.
“If your cat has fleas, you probably do also” is the commercial’s disturbing message. Perhaps in a sequel, we’ll hear the pitter-patter of not-so-little flea legs around the house, or see the one on the couch pick up the phone to order a pizza…
Categories: absurdities, anthropomorphic, bizarre, furry, insects, parasites, television, weird
Tags: Giant fleas
Comments: 11 Comments
June 26, 2017
I can’t remember the last time that I saw a commercial featuring an ostrich, so this gem from Samsung is unusual. Blundering along the African plain and coming across a dwelling, an ostrich pecks up a few crumbs on an outdoors breakfast table, managing in the process to wind up wearing some virtual reality goggles also left lying there. Our boy’s horizons are radically expanded through a flight simulation program running on the goggles, and so he is inspired to attempt the impossible for his species…flight. With Elton John’s Rocket Man as the theme, the ostrich extends his wings, and is soon soaring like a mighty eagle!
Some viewers have called this commercial Samsung’s best ever, and it manages to be funny, touching, and inspirational all at the same time…
Categories: anthropomorphic, avian, furry, furry commercials, television
Tags: Samsung's "Do What You Can't", Samsung's ostrich
Comments: 4 Comments
May 16, 2017
Skipping now the “Superfan” episode of the previous week which basically served to recycle old material, S5/Ep5 of Mountain Monsters picked up with Jeff and Trapper being found in a barn by the rest of the AIMS team. It turned out that Jeff was basically working as a double agent, working with “Harry and Stinky” of the other team to gather information. Jeff advised his team mates to download video from a tripped trail camera, which they did only to find it password protected. Jeff later supplied the password , and the video revealed an image of…the Black Wolf!
At a night meeting with Jeff, Buck was told that “something big” would be going on by a high rock wall. Buck became lost in the woods, sending the rest of his teammates by phone to the designated location. Willy and Wild Bill rappelled down the wall in order to listen, with Willy managing to steal a radio of the other team to facilitate this process. On the radio, it was heard that Jeff was down and bleeding. Fearing that he was gunshot, Willy and Wild Bill hastened to that location, finding Jeff down with one of his gradually-worsening nose bleeds. Meanwhile still lost in the woods, Buck heard the laughter of the “Woman in the Woods,” wandering off in a daze for ninety minutes before being located by his cameraman.
Meanwhile Huckleberry shared his impression of being stalked by a creature in the woods, following it back to their base camp cabin. He entered the cabin alone, and was later found there in a bloodied condition by his now-reunited team mates. “It knows we’re here,” remarked Huckleberry at the end of the episode, which will be continued next week in this endlessly drawn-out saga…
Categories: animals, anomalies, anthropomorphic, cryptozoology, television, unexplained
Tags: Huckleberry's Predator, Mountain Monsters
Comments: 2 Comments
March 28, 2017
Owls have long held our respect and are associated with wisdom, and they are increasingly being used as advertising icons. Their presence in the Harry Potter movies further spiked their popularity to the extent that some misguided people sought them as pets…bad idea, at least for most people!
Recently used memorably to sell eyewear for one company, owls have now entered the rather competitive allergy medication OTC market. Enter then Nigel the Xyzal Wise Owl, pictured above. This feathered guy has class; in one spot, he’s shown in a library with books, wearing a natty jacket, a monocle, and speaking with a British accent! Clearly, this guy is no flyweight, and knows his stuff; he appears to have the right credentials.
With many allergy medications having transitioned from prescription to over-the-counter status, recruiting a feathered sage with the voice of authority like Nigel might help carve out a niche for another product…
Categories: animal spokepersons, animals, anthropomorphic, avian, feathered friends, furry, furry commercials, television
Tags: Xyzal Owl
Comments: 6 Comments
February 2, 2017
It’s an all-too-familiar scenario; out driving late at night, when suddenly deer appear on the road, blundering into the way with negative consequences to both the deer and the vehicle. Since turnabout is fair play, we are shown a reverse case safety promo where two deer are motoring when a clueless human walks onto the road, totally absorbed in his texting. The deer are forced to brake sharply, and honk their horn. The clueless human looks up from his texting, startled, and hastens to finish his transit across the road. The deer couple look at one another, and shake their heads. A moment later, a trio of texting humans perform the same stunt before the now-stopped vehicle. They often travel in groups, you know…
“Don’t text while on the road,” the public service announcer then intones. “It’s bad for deer, and for humans”. Some humans are every bit as self-absorbed, location inappropriate, and clueless as those portrayed, too…
Categories: absurdities, animal behavior, anthropomorphic, furry, furry commercials, television
Tags: deer driving, don't text while driving
Comments: 5 Comments
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